Treating cigar bunches



Feb. 27, 1934. (PATTERSON ET AL TREATING CIGAR BUNCHE 5' Filed April 27, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet l ORNEY Feb. 27, 1934. PATTE ON Er L 1,948,626

TREATING CIGAR BUNCHES Filed April 27, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.- 2

INV TOR %W W Z Feb. 27, 1934. M. PATTERSON HAL 1,948,626

TREATI NG C IGAR BUNCI'IE S Filed April 27, 1932' 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

INV NT OR m BY 3 r W 4 1 Feb. 27, .1934.

M. PATTERSON ET AL TREATING CIGAR BUNCHES Filed April 27, 1932 22 FIG.6

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR patented Feb. 27, 1 934 MNITED fi'lATES TREATIN G EIGAB, BUNCHES Application April 27, 1932. Serial No. 607,868

48 Claims. (Cl. 131-4)) This invention relates to cigar making and more particularly to a process and apparatus for treating the cigar bunches to expedite the formation and setting thereof into the desired shapes. 5 The general object of the invention is to cause air or other gaseous medium to flow through or around the bunches, and is based on the discovery that by so doing, particularly when the moisture content and temperature are controlled, a desirable firmness or stiffness can be imparted to the bunches, the shaping of the bunches speeded up, the quality of the work improved, and the quantity of tobacco required to make a cigar of a given shape and size decreased.

Our invention may be carried out by causing a dry gaseous medium to flow through or upon the bunches, extracting moisture therefrom with resultant stiffening thereof into the desired shape. The rate of drying and stiffening of the bunches may be accelerated if the medium be heated. The stiffened bunches may then be wrapped in the outer wrapper of the cigar with the result that cigars which are more accurate as to shape and with smoother fitting wrappers, are produced.

The gaseous medium may alternatively be refrigerated and the cooled medium applied to the bunches. Using cold air it has been found that the cold bunch commences to swell within a few seconds after having been withdrawn therefrom, the swelling amounting to from 3 to 5% in diameter, and in some cases more. Thus, if the cold bunch is immediately wrapped, a. cigar with a tight, well stretched wrapper isassured even though the wrapper is somewhat loosely applied. 1

Other objects of the invention are to provide for carrying into effect the above discoveries in an eflicient and practical manner.

'An embodiment of the invention has been illustrated herein in connection with a machine of the type disclosed in United States Patent No. 1,838,157. to Rupert E. Rundell, wherein bunches (particularly of scrap or short filler) 3 are concentrated or shaped in an endless series of travelling shapers or mold elements, the bunches being ejected after one circuit in the molds. This circuit in the machine described in the patent takes under two minutes. For certain purposes, particularly for foreign use, a very dry hunch is desired. Hitherto machines such as the patented one referred to could not be used for this purpose, such cigars being in stationary molds in which the cigars were left anywhere from four to twelve hours to dry, requiring much space and taking up considerable capacity. Applicants have found that they can get the same or better results in less than two minutes in the above machine by causing dry or heated air to flow through the molds f the machine. Consequently, a specific object of the present invention is to provide for shaping cigar bunches and at the same time causing a flow of air or other gases through or around the bunches to dry them in the shape of the mold.

It has further been found that accurate shapes may be produced and cigars of the desired size produced even though somewhat less than the usual amount of tobacco is incorporated in the bunch by forcing air through the bunch during shaping, the effect of the air apparently being to expand or otherwise force the material of the bunch into contact with the molding or shaping means, and by employing a current of air or other gas for stiffening or drying, the expanded bunch may be dried or stiffened in contact with the mold into the shape of said mold. Through this method the size, shape and appearance of the completed cigar is uniform even though the bunch is light in weight and it is possible to make larger shapes with a given amount of tobacco and therefore at a given price than has hitherto been practical.

Still another object is to provide a method of treating cigar bunches which fluifs or expands the tobacco thereby improving the drawing qualities of the cigar and making possible soft well filled bunches with a minimum amount of tobacco.

The previously mentioned slow dryingof the cigar bunches in stationary molds has the disadvantage that the binder of the bunch dries before 'thefiller, a condition which is not favorable to the following operation as it causes easy cracking of the binder with the result that the bunch opens up and crumbles while being wrapped.

Accordingly another object of the invention is forcing air through the bunches to cause the filler to dry before the binder, assuring a better wrapping condition of the bunch.

' With these and other objects not specifically mentioned in view the invention consists in certain steps and constructions which will be hereinafter fully described and then specifically pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

The terms "mold and shape unless otherwise indicated are used in the present specification and claims in a generic sense as covering both the relatively light pressing and shaping used to produce a soft bunch and known in the art as concentrating, and the relatively heavy pressing and shaping used to secure the hard bunches commonly known in the trade as molded bunches.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification and in which like charthe invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation similar to Fig. 1 showing a modified form of the invention; Fig. 3 is a detail elevation of the device shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a detail longitudinal cross section through the molds or concentrators showing the flow of air through a cigar bunch in the mold; Fig. 5 is a detailed end elevation illustrating the mechanism for ejecting and transferring the bunches to the wrapping mechanism; Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the device showing how the top mold sections are raised during treatment of the bunches; Fig. 7 is a longitudinal cross section of one of the molds showing the flow of air when the top mold is in a raised position; and Figs. 8 and 9- show the application of the improved method to stationary molds.

In the particular embodiments herein illustrated, the cigar bunch to be treated is enclosed in a mold to shape the same and a current of air is directed through the bunch while in the mold. Preferably the air is dried before it is forced through the mold and in the best mode of utilizing this method the air is heated before being forced through the mold. It is also preferable for heavy bunches to apply suction to one part of the mold to assist in forcing air through the mold.

Apparatus illustrative of one way in which the invention may be carried into effect may, as shown in Figs. 1-7 comprise the combination with a series of travelling molds, means for forcing air through the molds to dry bunches therein, said means including an air chamber communicating with the molds at one end and a source of compressed air'connected to said chamber. Preferably means are provided for predrying the air forced through said molds. The best construction in this type of apparatus will also include openings in the molds, bunch ejecting elements movable through said openings and an air chamber communicating with said open-- ings to force air against the sides of the bunch.

This \process and apparatus may be widely varied in construction within the scope of the claims, for the specific methods and structures selected to illustrate the invention are but certain of many possible embodiments of the same. The inventiontherefore is not to be restricted to the details illustrated and described nor to the particular embodiments chosen as illustrative of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, the cigar bunch forming machine selected to illustrate the invention consists of a turret shell 10 mounted on a shaft 11 supported by a frame bracket 12. The turret mold construction is in general similar to that disclosed in the U. S. patent to Rundell 1,838,157 dated December 29, 1931, to which reference is made for a more detailed disclosure. The turret shell 10 is rotated step-by-step by an indexing wheel 13 mounted on shaft 11. The index wheel 13 is actuated by a cam operated rod 14 connected to a crank arm 15 loosely mounted on the shaft 11. The arm 15 carries a pawl lever 16 engaging in the slots of the index 1 by rods 21 held by bracket 12 and-frame 22.

The bunch is ejected by a number of vertical pins 23 which are arranged in the form of the cigar upon a horizontal arm 24 mounted on a vertical rod 25 which moves up and down in a bracket 26 attached to frame 22 and is cam operated through an adjustable link 27. The arm 24 is placed inside the turret shell 10 and the latter as well as mold 17 are provided with corresponding holes 28 so that when the arm 24 is raised, Fig. 5, the pins 23 will engage the finished bunch C and lift it out of the mold 17 after the cover 18 has been removed.

The bunch C is then picked up by clamp fingers 29 attached to a transfer arm 30 which inserts the bunch into the wrapper applying mechanism 31, of conventional construction. The arm 30 is mounted on a shaft 32 operated from the main drive of the machine. The shaft 32 is supported in a bracket 33 and carries a sprocket 34 supporting a chain 35 engaging with another sprocket 36 connected through shaft 37 with clamping fingers 29. This arrangement is made to assure a parallel transfer of the bunch.

In the preferred form of the invention in which hot air is used for drying the bunches, Fig. 1, the compressed air from any source of air under pressure is passed through any conventional filter or moisture trap 38 wherein moisture is taken out of the air. The latter then is led into a compartment 39 equipped with conventional electric heating means such as the electrically heated plates 40. The heat can be shut off, if ordinary compressed dry air is desired, since dry air alone has been found to have the same desirable effect though to a lesser degree than the hot air, by i means of a switch 41. The amount of moisture extracted from the air and the temperature thereof may be varied as desired, depending upon the degree of drying and consequent stiffening of the bunches to be attained, and the speed with which such is to be accomplished.

The air is conducted from compartment 39 through the pipe 42 into a stationary annular chamber 43 having its outer wall closely fitting the tuck ends of the top sections of the bunch ag;

molds or concentrators, and having its inner wall extending into and provided with an end wall closely fitting the interior of the turret shell through its entire circumference. To prevent the escape of air when a top mold section is lifted to permit the bunch to be ejected, the outer wall of chamber 43 extends inwardly adjacent the top of the turret, over the female mold sections as far as the end of the turret shell, and is concentric with and closely fits said end at this portion of the chamber. The air conducted into the chamber is separated into two streams which pass, respectively, through the bunches by entering the openings in the tuck end of the mold sections, and

the holes 28 in the turret shell and female mold f sections.

This is important because by so doing, the air pressure inside of the bunch is balanced or overcome by the pressure through the ejector holes. which prevents the formation of blisters or raised portions on the bunch, at each hole. v

The openings of the molds on the turret at the head end of the bunches are covered by an annular stationary chamber 44 which is connected by means of a pipe 45 to a suction fan 46, the latter producing an increased flow of air through the bunch C, Fig. 4. This makes it possible to speed the drying process for fast machine operation or to handle damper or heavier bunches, though air under pressure'alone is ordinarily sufficicnt.

weaned By using suction in addition to pressure it is contemplated that the invention will be capable of use with faster machines developed in the future as well as with the present machines.

Thus with the turret mold machine shown when operating at its normal speed of eight cigars per minute, the cigars are in the turret a little over a minute and a half, yet the drying process is sufiiciently rapid so that the bunches are dried to substantially the same extent as in the wooden molds in eight hours. By this means the drying is made simultaneously with the molding and there is no time whatever consumed in drying alone and the whole operation is made continuous and automatic. It is noted also that most of the mechanism required is that already provided for the necessary molding operation and that the additional structure is applicable to a conventional turret mold machine without material modification thereof. i

For example, in an actual test, cigar bunches were placed in the present mold drying machine and passed through the same at the rate of eight cigars per minute. The loss of weight due to drying in this instance was 2.7%. Exactly similar bunches were put into wooden molds .and left eight hours after which time they were weighed and-found to have lost 2.2% weight as the result of drying. Of course these results would vary considerably in accordance with the type of bunch and other conditions but are cited by way of example to show the effectiveness of the present method.

When operating on cigars which have tightly wrapped heads which may impede the passage of air through the inside of the cigar, though considerable air passes through the seams, it may be desirable to open the head and automatic means are provided for accomplishing this end. This means includes a horizontal needle 49, Fig. l, placed in line with the first forward step of the turret after leaving the mold charging position at the top so as to punch a hole in the head of the bunch before entering the suction chamber id. The needle 49 is mounted on a slotted guide arm 50 which is supported by a shaft 51 and carries a roller 52, the forward end of the needle 49 being guided by a bracket 53 mounted on the frame bracket 12. The roller52 is held by a spring 54 against a cam 55 on shaft '51 which is rotated from the main drive of the machine in timed relation to the intermittent rotation of the turret by a chain 56 and asproclret 57 mounted thereon. The high portion of cam 55 imparts a forward motion toarm 50 when the newly inserted bunch is at rest after the first forward step of the turret, thereby piercing the closed end of the bunch. The spring 54 then withdraws the needle upon the turning of the cam.

To allow external circulation of compressed air to take place as well as internal circulation, as for very moist bunches, the roller guide tracks may be provided, with. a series ofalternate high and low spots as shown at. 58 of Fig. 6, so that the top molds are lifted from the bottom molds during predetermined portions of their travel, as in Fig. '7, in which position compressed air will also pass through the space between the top and bottom mold, as shown by arrows. In Fig. 6, rollers 19 designated by the letter H ride on high portions of cams 58 while those designated by the letter L ride on low portions of the same, the molds 18 being held closed in L positions so that the bunch may dry to the proper shape While under compression. Similarly when the method of the invention is applied to forcing air through wooden molds as hereinafter described, the wooden molds may be left during a part of the drying operation to produce greater circulation of air.

In Figs. 8 and 9, the application of the improved drying method to stationary molds is shown. In this case, the molds 59, of any suitable material, such as wood, for example, are placed between a pressure chamber 60 and a suction chamber 61. Pressure chamber 60 receives compressed dry air from a pipe 62 connected to a vessel 63 equipped with heating elements or with refrigerating means, as the case may be,

while suction chamber 61 is connected by a pipe 64 to a suction fan 65. By this means pronounced advantages may be attained when using stationary molds, in that the stock of bunches tied up may be greatly decreased and the whole molding operation greatly speeded up.

If desired, the air may be first forced into the bunches through the pressure chamber while the suction fan is inactive, whereby maximum expanding action of the air upon the bunches is attained; and then the suction fan may be brought into action while the flow of air through the pressure chamber is continued, so that the maximum drying and stiffening action is available.

When using cold air, Fig. 2, the compressed air,

} before entering chamber 43, passes through a vessel 4'7 surrounded by dry ice I or provided with other refrigerating means, wherein the temperature of the air is lowered to such an extent that its moisture M is precipitated and deposited at the bottom of vessel 4'7 by the aid of a baffle plate 48. Thus, only dry cold air at, for example about 20 Fahrenheit, leaves the vessel 4'? and passes through pipe 42 into chamber 43. The cold air will stiffen the bunch in passing through it .into the shape of the mold so that the bunch will be hard and accurately shaped for applying a wrapper. The wrapper is then immediately applied while the bunch is still stiff. It has been found that the bunch will swell 3 to 5% and sometimes more when coming back to normal temperature. Thus with this method even a somewhat loose wrapper or light filler will produce a well filled cigar, and less filler may be used.

As another phase of the invention, it may be ,types of cigars.

It will be obvious that air may be forced through the bunches by exerting suction at one end thereof to let the atmospheric pressure force the air into the bunches from the opposite ends. Accordingly the term forced is applicable to urginga current of air through or around the 3,

bunches by suction alone, pressure alone or both in combination and it is contemplated that suc tion alone be used when less complete drying of bunches is desired or in situations in which it is not convenient to use compressed air.

It will be apparent that the invention is not limited to treatment of cigar bunches prior to wrapping thereof, but that instead the invention may be applicable to the treating of bunches after the latter are wrapped.

A valuable feature of the present invention lies in the dust and dirt removing effect of the gasv caused to flow through the cigar bunches. This result follows from the passing of gas through the bunch in any way and particularly by the employment of suction though other ways by pressure alone may be used for this purpose. The pressing of the bunches and/or the ex panding or flufiing of the tobacco by the gas all serve to loosen the field dirt and the like on the tobacco leaves so that the gas flow may readily carry it off.

What is claimed is:

1. The process of treating cigar bunches which consists in enclosing the bunch in a mold to shape the same and flowing a bunch stiffening gaseous medium through the mold.

2. The process of treating cigar bunches which consists in enclosing the bunch in a mold to shape the same and flowing a gaseous medium through the mold, said process including the step of drying the medium before it is forced through the mold 3. The process of treating cigar bunches which consists in enclosing the bunch in a mold to shape the same and flowing a gaseous medium through the mold, said process including the step of heating the medium before it is forcedthrough the mold.

4. The process of treating cigar bunches which consists in enclosing the bunch in a mold to shape the same and forcing air through the mold, the step of forcing the air through the mold including applying suction to one part of the mold.

5. The process of treating cigar bunches which consists in enclosing the bunch in a mold to shape the same and forcing air through the mold, the step of forcing the air through the mold including supplying air under pressure to the interior of one part of the mold and applying suction to the interior of the mold at another location.

6. The process of treating cigar bunches which consists in enclosing the bunch in a mold to shape the same and forcing air through the mold, said process including the step of puncturing the head end of the bunch to permit freer passage of air.

7. The process of treating cigar bunches which consists in enclosing the bunch in a mold to shape the same and forcing air through the mold, said process including the steps of forcing air through the ends and sides of the mold.

S. The process of treating cigar bunches which consists in enclosing the bunch in a mold to shape the same and forcing air through the mold, said process including the step of refrigerating the air before it is forced through the mold.

The process of treating cigar bunches which sists of causing a refrigerated gaseous me- In to flow theret'nrough to temporarily stiffen the bunch.

The process of treating cigar bunches which consists of extracting moisture from a gaseous medium by refrigerating said medium, and. causing a current of said medium to fiow into said bunches to temporarily stiffen the bunches.

ii. The process of treating a cigar bunch, which consists of forcing a current of a gaseous medium containing moisture into said bunch to expand the bunch without drying it.

12. The process of treating a cigar bunch which consists of applying a gaseous medium under pressure to one end of said bunch to obtain maximum expanding action of the gaseous medium upon the bunch and then expediting the flow of said medium through said bunch by applying suction to the other end thereof so that aoeacao maximum stiffening and drying action is also obtained.

13. The process of treating a cigar bunch which consists of first applying a gaseous medium under pressure to one end of said bunch to obtain maximum expanding action of the gaseous medium upon the bunch and subsequently. during the application of said medium to said end, applying suction to the other end of the bunch so that maximum stiffening and drying action is also obtained.

14. In combination. means for molding a cigar bunch, and means for causing a flow of a gaseous medium through the bunch while in said molding means.

15. In combination, cigar bunch molding means, means for causing a gaseous medium to flow through a bunch while in said molding means, and means for predrying said medium.

16. In combination, cigar bunch molding means, means for causing a gaseous medium to flow through a bunch while in said molding means, and means for heating said medium.

17. In combination, cigar bunch molding means, means for causing a gaseous medium to flow through a bunch while in said molding means, and means for heating and predrying said medium.

18. The method of making cigars which comprises forming a bunch, subjecting the formed bunch to the action of gas temporarily to stiffen said bunch and then applying a Wrapper to said bunch while still stiff.

19. The method of making cigars which comprises forming a bunch, stiffening the bunch by cold, and applying the cigar wrapper to the bunch while still stiif.

20. The method of making cigars which comprises shaping a cigar bunch, forcing dry gas into contact with the bunch during shaping to 1- dry the same, and applying a cigar wrapper to the dried and shaped bunch.

The method of making cigars which comprises treating a cigar bunch with a cold gaseous medium to produce subsequent swelling thereof, and applying a cigar wrapper to the bunch before swelling is completed.

The method of forming bunches which consists in enclosing a bunch within a mold, and

then forcing gaseous medium into one end of the bunch the mold to expand the bunch against the Walls of the mold.

The method of forming bunches which ists in enclosing a moist bunch within a ittiold, then forcing a dry gaseous medium into one c. of bunch in the mold to dry it in dition to the form of the mold.

machine, the combination with ing molds, of means for causing a gaseous to dry bunches therein.

In a cigar machine, the combination with a series of travelling molds, of means for forcing air through. the molds to dry bunches therein, said means including an air chamber comk municating with the molds at one end and a source of compressed air connected to said chamber.

26. In a cigar machine, the combination with a series of travelling molds, of means for forcing air through the molds to dry bunches therein, said means including an air chamber communicating with said molds at one end, an air chamber communicating with said molds at the other end and air pressure means connected to ziealum to flow through the molds the first mentioned chamber and suction means connected to the second mentioned chamber.

27. In a cigar machine, the combination with a series of travelling molds, of means for forcing air through the molds to dry bunches therein, and means for pre-drying the air forced through said molds.

28. In a cigar machine, the combination with aseries of travelling molds, of means for forcing air through the molds to dry bunches therein, and means for heating the air forced through said molds. 1

29. In a cigar machine, the combination with a series of travelling molds, of means for forcing air through the molds to dry bunches therein, means for refrigerating the air forced through said molds.

30. In a cigar machine, the combination with a series of travelling molds, of means for forcing air through the molds to dry bunches therein, means for refrigerating and drying the air forced through said molds.

31. In a cigar machine, the combination with a series of travelling molds, of means for forcing air through the molds-to dry bunches therein, said molds including mold covers and means for lifting said covers during the forcing of air through the molds.

32. In a cigar machine, the combination with a series of travelling molds, of means for forcing air through the molds to dry bunches therea in, and a turret about the periphery of which said molds are arranged and a circular air chamber coacting with the ends of the molds on said turret during a portion of a revolution thereof.

33. In a cigar machine, the combination with a series of travelling molds, of means for forcing air through the molds to dry bunches therein, said molds being provided with openings, bunch ejecting elements movable through said openings to force the bunches from the molds, said means including an air chamber communieating with said openings to force air against the sides of the bunches.

34. The process of drying bunches in molds having a plurality of open-end bunch pockets which comprises placing the open ends of the mold pockets in communication with a source of supply of heated air under pressure.

35. The process of treating cigars placed in molds having a plurality of open-end pockets in each mold which comprises placing the openings at one end of the pockets in communication with a source of supply of heated air under pressure and placing the openings at the other end of the pockets in communication with a suction device.

36. The process of treating cigars placed in molds having a plurality of open-end pockets in each mold which, comprises placing the openings at one end of the pockets in communication with a source of supply of heated air under pressure, placing the openings at the other end of the pockets in communication with a suction device and lifting the cover of the mold to relieve the pressure on the bunches while the mold is subjected to air pressure.

37. In a cigar machine, the combination with a series of travelling molds having open ends, of means for forcing air through the ends of the molds to dry bunches therein, openings in the sides of the molds, and means including an air conduit communicating with said opening for forcing air through said openings against the sides of bunches in the molds.

38. The process of treating cigar bunches which consists in enclosing a bunch in a mold having an open' end and a perforated side to shape the same and forcing air through the mold to penetrate the bunch, said process also including the step of forcing air through the sides of the mold to balance the pressure from within the bunch.

39. The process of shaping cigar bunches which comprises confining the bunch in a cigar shaped form and subjecting the bunch to a tobacco expanding agency to cause the bunch to expand into close conformity with the form.

40. The process of shaping cigar bunches which comprises confining the bunch in a cigar shaped form,and forcing a fluid into the interior of the bunch under pressure.

41. The combination with a travelling series of molds, each mold of which is split longitudinally into separate mold sections, of means operating said mold sections to shape a cigar bunch therein and devices for forcing air endwise through the molds when acting on a bunch.

ing the same to puncture the ends of bunches in said molds, and means for forcing a gaseous medium through the punctured ends of the bunches.

44. In a cigar machine, the combination with a rotatable turret, of a series of molds circumferentially arranged on said turret, means for forcing air through the molds during rotation of said turret, cigar wrapping mechanism and auto- "matic transfer means for transferring a bunch from said turret into said wrapping mechanism. 45. The combination with a series of cigar bunch molds having openings therein and a source of suction connected to one of said openings to circulate air through the mold.

46. The combination with means for shaping a cigar bunch, of means for removing dust from the interior of said bunch while it is being shaped.

47. The combination with means for shaping a cigar bunch, of means for removing dust from the interior of said bunch while it is being shaped, said means including mechanism forcirculating air through the bunch.

48. The combination withmeans for removing dust from cigar bunches, of means for successive- 1y presenting bunches in operative relation to said dust removing means and simultaneously shaping the bunches.

MOREI-IEAD PATTERSON. RUPERT E. RUNDELL. 

